The Basic Kosher Ashkenaz Tefillin Set is a complete, fully kosher pair prepared for the Ashkenaz minhag, and it is far more than the word basic suggests. Every set is made in Eretz Yisrael from parts that are each kosher on their own, so a bar mitzvah bochur, a first-time wearer, or anyone who wants a dependable everyday pair receives tefillin (תְּפִלִּין, phylacteries) he can lay each morning with a full heart. We built this tier around a belief we hold dearly: every Yid should be able to keep the mitzvah of tefillin properly, without compromise on kashrus and without a price that puts it out of reach. Basic Kosher Ashkenaz Tefillin Set Specs Use the details below to confirm the construction, writing, straps, size, and included storage for this set. They are listed from the most important elements of a kosher pair down to the practical extras. Complete Set: Shel yad (arm) and shel rosh (head), fully assembled and ready to wear Kosher Status: Guaranteed 100% kosher, valid according to every opinion Parshiyos: Handwritten on klaf (parchment) by a certified sofer STaM Checking: Computer-checked letter by letter and reviewed by a sofer Script: Beis Yosef, the Ashkenaz writing tradition Parshiyos Order: Rashi Batim: Dakkos, formed from a single genuine piece of leather, 32 mm Shel Rosh: Four compartments with the raised Shin on both sides Shel Rosh Knot: Square knot, per Ashkenaz custom Retzuos: Premium Or-Elyon, black on both sides, 15 mm wide Minhag: Ashkenaz Handedness: Right-handed or left-handed wearer Storage: Black velvet tefillin bag and clear protective outer bag Kosher Ashkenaz Tefillin, Valid According to Every Opinion The batim (בָּתִּים, leather boxes) on this set are dakkos, formed from a single genuine piece of hide rather than glued together from scraps. That matters: because they are one true piece of leather, dakkos batim are accepted as kosher by all opinions, without leaning on the leniency that cheaper glued peshutim rely on. This is the real reason our basic set is more than basic. Everything that touches the mitzvah is kept to a proper standard, and the finished pair is guaranteed one hundred percent kosher. For a first pair, seeing what actually goes into one is reassuring, and how tefillin are made lays out the grades of batim and what separates them, in plain language. Premium Or-Elyon Retzuos on a Basic Tefillin Set Most entry-level tefillin quietly economize on the straps, using thin split leather that stretches and cracks. We do not. This set is finished with premium Or-Elyon retzuos (רְצוּעוֹת, leather straps), the strong top layer of the hide, painted rich black on both sides, a detail usually reserved for costlier pairs. Even at our most accessible tier, the parts of the mitzvah are chosen with care, cut to a full 15 mm and finished as befits a set worn b'kedushah for years of davening. Beis Yosef Ksav, Handwritten by a Sofer STaM The parshiyos (פָּרָשִׁיּוֹת, Torah passages) are handwritten in Beis Yosef ksav, the writing tradition of the Ashkenaz minhag, on genuine klaf (קְלָף, parchment), the same sacred material used for our kosher mezuzah scrolls. The exact form of every letter is part of what makes a pair kosher. Because each letter is written by hand, honest checking matters. Every pair is reviewed by a certified sofer STaM and verified by computer before it reaches you, so nothing leaves us until it is confirmed kosher. Ashkenaz Tefillin for Bar Mitzvah and Daily Davening Select right-handed or left-handed at checkout so the shel yad is prepared for the proper arm. Whether this pair is worn for a bar mitzvah, carried to yeshiva, or laid every weekday, families keeping the minhag at home will also find matching Ashkenazi mezuzahs, and our guide to tefillin checking explains how to keep it kosher over the years. When the time comes to grow in hiddur, the Mehudar Gassot Ashkenaz tefillin step up to gassot boxes and hand-worked straps, and our full range of kosher tefillin sits together for easy comparison. Mezuzah Store is a family-owned Judaica shop, and it is our zechus to help another Yid begin this mitzvah the right way.